World

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The World Bank issued a report looking into the universe of mass multiplayer online games like World of Warcraft. It suggests that enterprises spun off these games have led to a $3 billion industry with huge growth potential. In China and Vietnam, some 100,000 people have been hired to accrue virtual gold and points for Western gamers.

A Truce Has No Takers

LIBYA

Talk of a cease-fire between rebels and the regime of Muammar Gaddafi persisted even while the civil war raged in hot spots across the country. Fighting was particularly fierce around the strategic coastal towns of Brega and Ajdabiyah. Prominent rebel leaders as well as British and French officials urged NATO to take more direct action against Gaddafi's tanks and artillery that are besieging the beleaguered city of Misratah, where civilian casualties are said to number in the hundreds, perhaps thousands. NATO, though, appeared to be stymied by internal divisions over the best path forward. An African Union delegation led by South African President Jacob Zuma put forward a proposal for a cease-fire that was accepted by Gaddafi but rejected by the rebels, who so far have refused to negotiate with the dictator.

Assad Sticks to His Guns

SYRIA

The southern city of Dara'a was once more the scene of bloody clashes between security personnel and protesters. Some reports said at least 27 civilians were killed in a police crackdown. And the coastal town of Baniyas was shut down by state troops. After a month of protests, say rights groups, the casualty count stands at over 200 dead. But the regime of Bashar Assad still looks capable of fending off this popular challenge to its rule.

Fast Way to Attack Graft

INDIA

Facing a number of damning corruption scandals, the ruling government in New Delhi had to contend with Anna Hazare, a 72-year-old activist who embarked April 5 upon a "fast unto death" against government graft. Fanned by populist TV networks, a national furor whipped up in support of Hazare. Days later, the government agreed to set up an ombudsman committee that would have the power to investigate any official, even the Prime Minister. Hazare ended his fast. The mass outcry on his behalf is a sign of the growing frustration of many with politics as usual in the world's largest democracy.

After Much Debate, Veils Face Fines

FRANCE

A controversial and fiercely contested ban on women's wearing the full-face veil went into effect April 11. Two women were arrested and fined on the first day of the law's implementation. Many doubt the ban will be vigilantly enforced, as police are too busy to go "burqa chasing" and are weary of inciting trouble.